In the spring of 1699, Jean Drummond, a married woman residing in the Renfrewshire parish of Kilbarchan, found herself caught in the volatile orbit of a localized witch-hunt centered on a young girl named Margaret Laird. While in the midst of public fits in Paisley, Laird had begun to identify various individuals as the source of her torment, casting a wide net of suspicion that eventually ensnared Jean. Between the 19th and 21st of April, legal proceedings began to assemble, fueled by testimony from witnesses who observed Laird’s physical distress and heard her vocal denunciations. These statements were formalized into a *dittay*, or an indictment of charges, against Jean during the following days.
The legal journey that followed was marked by significant procedural uncertainty. Although a trial was scheduled to take place in Glasgow on May 19, 1699, it appears that the proceedings did not move forward as planned on that date. The case eventually migrated to the High Court in Edinburgh, where the legal scrutiny of Jean continued for nearly a year. Finally, on March 12, 1700, the High Court reached a resolution when the diet was deserted. With the prosecution effectively abandoned, Jean was released from the charges brought against her by the accusations of the previous spring.